KARACHI: Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) board has now decided to send cases of some 22 out of the total 35 QCC project employees (petitioners, who were dismissed from services in 2019 after ‘completion and closure’ of a project) to the Cabinet’s special committee on sacked employees, for necessary consideration.

“If the Cabinet committee recommends the regularization of services of these 22 employees, the respective cases may be placed for necessary order of the respective competent authorities,” said the minutes of the 24th meeting of the Board of Directors (BoD) of PSQCA, held on November 28, 2022 at its Complex, Gulistan-e-Johar, Karachi.

The Board further decided that Director General PSQCA will examine remaining employees (Non-Petitioners) and forward to Cabinet Sub-Committee for necessary consideration.

As per the BoD minutes, a copy of which exclusively available with Business Recorder, the meeting was attended by Agha Hasan Baloch Federal Minister for Science & Technology as chairman, Ghulam Muhammad Memon Federal Secretary for Science & Technology, Zainul Abedin Director General, PSQCA as Vice-Chairman, Engr. M. A. Jabbar Representative of FPCCI, and Shafqatullah Siddiqui, Director General (Engg. & Mineral Division), TDAP, Ministry of Commerce.

Engr. Khalid Ahmed Bablani, Director (Finance) informed that that PC-1 for project namely “Purchase of Furniture & Fixture for Laboratory at PSQCA Complex, Karachi” was approved from its appropriate forum, i.e., CDWP, Ministry of Planning & Development, through its administrative approval vide MoST letter of even No. dated 18th March, 2008 for the period of two years.

But, the project was extended up to 31st December, 2018 from time to time and was closed finally vide letter No.10(24)/ 2007-DSA (P&D), government of Pakistan, Ministry of Science and Technology dated 8th July, 2018 and the same was communicated by Project Director to the Project employees through letter No. QCC dated 28-11-2018.

The Project employees filed the Petitions No.D-4920 of 2016, D-4336 of 2017, D8330 of 2018, D-8747 of 2018 & D-8252 of 2018 before the Sindh High Court at Karachi for regularization of their services in PASQCA.

He further informed that MoST & PSQCA filed CPLA at Supreme Court, Islamabad Bench against Court Order dated 16-11-2020.

However, a letter received from the Federal Secretary, MoST regarding regularization of Project employees in compliance of court order dated 12.09.2019 and 27.10.2020, passed by Singh High Court for regularization of services of petitioners in compliance of Sindh High Court, subject to approval from competent forum committee may be constituted for remaining project employees to regularize in vacant posts.

Khalid Ahmed Bablani requested the Board to approve the above proposal.

However the Chairman of the Board said that as the 22 employees of the project who have not given extension in the project, have gone to the Court and the Court has accordingly ordered to consider their regularization while keeping in view their qualification, and experience, and recruitment procedure of their recruitment may be sent to the Special Committee on Sacked Employees Cabinet Sub-Committee for consideration.

He further recommended that the Director General, PSQCA may look into the cases of the remaining employees (non-petitioners) and submit the report before next meeting of the Board.

Regarding the “Regularization of recommended employees by cabinet subcommittee (Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah committee in 2013)” the PSQCA Board decided that the cases of the three employees (Petitioners) are to be sent to the Cabinet Special Committee on Sacked employees for necessary consideration. If the Cabinet Sub-Committee recommends the regularization of services of these three employees, their respective cases may be placed for necessary order of the respective competent authorities.

The Board further decided that Director General, PSQCA will examine remaining employees (Non-Petitioners) and forward to Cabinet Sub-Committee for necessary consideration.

The board decided that matter regarding the reduction of marking fee may be re-deliberated among the stakeholders as per directions of the cabinet division.

Regarding the “Approval of revised estimates 2021-22 and budget estimates 2022-23 (non-development) in respect of PSQCA” the Board approved the agenda item and directed that in future the budget/ budget estimates should be placed before the board for approval prior to fiscal year. It approved Rs.200 million for physical assets to carry out effects on order of priority and with the direction that in the next BoD meeting, the revised estimates/ additional grant on account of physical assets may be placed for approval. The board approved Rs.28 million for repair & maintenance instead of the proposed Rs.37.00 million.

The board approved the draft financial rules of PSQCA, 2021 while endorsing the recommendation of PSQCA.

On the matter of “purchase of transport”, Secretary MoST informed that due to austerity measures, the purchase of vehicles cannot be allowed. The matter may be placed before the next Board meeting. However, Zainul Abedin, Director General, PSQCA informed that he planned to hold a meeting with Collector of Customs at Quetta regarding purchase of non-custom paid vehicles which will be transferred on government to government basis. The Board allowed Director General to convene meeting with Collector of Customs, Quetta.

The Board decided to place the proposal in the next board meeting for consideration. It authorized the DG PSQCA to initiate with Pakistan Custom for transfer and purchase of vehicles.

The board also authorized DG PSQCA to identify the locations for opening and operationalizing Direc-torates/ offices of PSQCA across the country.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022